1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an inspection and verification system and method for ensuring that finished parts pass inspection prior to shipment to a customer.
2. Background Art
Use of automated inspection systems—i.e., those that employ machines to do at least some of the inspecting—is well known. These systems may be isolated inspection stations, or they may be integrated into a manufacturing or assembly line. It is typically the goal of these systems to ensure that finished products meet certain standards. These standards may include dimensional tolerances, types of fits or finishes, or the presence of a required set of components. Despite the increasingly automated nature of these inspection systems, and despite their increasing level of sophistication, it is often still possible for a finished part to be shipped to a customer without first passing inspection.
One attempt to overcome this problem is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,107,541 issued to Kirsch on Aug. 15, 1978. Kirsch discloses an inspection device designed to verify the presence of holes in a workpiece. This device is integrated into an assembly line, such that if the required number of holes is not found in the workpiece, the inspection device sends a signal to a control system that prohibits the workpiece from being processed any further. All of the required holes must be present before the control system will allow the workpiece to continue down the line. Although it has the advantage of being integrated into the manufacturing process itself, the inspection device disclosed by Kirsch has limited applicability. First, it is designed to detect the presence of holes, and very often this will not be the type of inspection that is required. Moreover, the inspection device is used on a workpiece at an intermediate stage of manufacture. There is still no assurance that a completed, finished part will be inspected and pass that inspection prior to its shipment to the customer.
Another attempt to overcome this problem includes a method of prohibiting access to a shipping container until after the finished parts have passed inspection. The opening of the shipping container is covered by an electro-mechanically actuated sliding door. The door is connected to an inspection fixture such that it only opens after a finished part has passed inspection. The inspected part is removed from the inspection fixture, loaded into the shipping container, and the door closes until another finished part is placed in the inspection fixture and passes inspection. This is an imperfect solution however, in that once the door is open, many parts can be placed in the shipping container, even uninspected parts. Hence there remains a need for an inspection system that further ensures that every finished part passes inspection prior to shipment to the customer.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an inspection and verification system which overcomes the shortcomings of the above referenced prior art inspection systems, by helping to ensure that every finished part in a customer's order is inspected and passes that inspection prior to shipment to the customer.